PathAlign-R
Spectracom Corporation
2200 / 2240 / 2241 PathAlign-R Manual
3-26
6. Turn the Power Switch ON. An LED will indicate which output connector is active (make
sure the cable is connected to that connector) and begin talking. Typically, the antennas
can be off alignment by as much as several beamwidths and the voice channel will still
operate.
7. While one technician simply observes the reading of the path loss meter at his/her site,
the other site commences Azimuth (horizontal) adjustment. As the voice channel is full
duplex (FM), each technician can communicate with the other during the alignment
process. Check for both side lobes as well as the main lobe response to ensure that the
antenna is being aligned to the main lobe and not one of the side lobes. The Path Align-
R sets have enough sensitivity (to -100 dB) and update speed (300 ms) to quickly check
for side lobe and main lobe response.
8. To use the ‘Alignment Tone’ function, the technician who will adjust his antenna first,
sets his front panel ‘AUDIO’ switch to the ‘Alignment Tone’ position. He now adjusts his
antenna’s azimuth using the alignment tone as an indicator of the resultant path loss (the
front panel meters of both units are always operational). When he gets the highest tone
possible, he then uses the Path Align-R’s meter reading to fine tune the adjustment.
One-way voice communication from his unit to the second Path Align-R is still
operational, but to carry on a two-way conversation he would need to switch to ‘voice’
position on his ‘Audio’ switch. The second technician sets his front panel ‘AUDIO’ switch
to the ‘Voice’ position. This provides the ability to hear the first technician’s voice while
he waits his turn to align.
9. Once Azimuth has been optimized, the Elevation adjustment is performed.
10. When steps 7 & 8 have been completed at the first site, the technicians switch roles and
steps 7& 8 are repeated by the other technician at the second site.
11. Once step 9 is completed, for both Azimuth and Elevation, the link is aligned. As a
record, note the final path loss value displayed on the meter.
3.5.3 Frequencies outside the PathAlign-R’s Band Range
An antenna system whose link frequency is designed outside the frequency band edge of the
Path Align-R (e.g., 6.800 GHz) can still have its path alignment correctly adjusted, as long as
the antenna system (antenna, waveguide, etc.) can operate at both the link frequency (6.800
GHz) and a nearby frequency covered by the Path Align-R (e.g. 6.600 GHz). This applies
equally to all four bands of the Path Align-R. Figure 3-3 is a chart showing Cable attenuation
versus frequency for the coax cables supplied with this unit:
Summary of Contents for Pendulum PathAlign-R 2200
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